Iran, US Hold Second Round of High-Stakes Nuclear Talks

The United States and Iran held on Saturday high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, a week after an initial round of discussions that both sides described as "constructive".

- Agence France-Presse

ROME/MOSCOW:

The Oman-mediated talks in Rome began at around 0930 GMT, according to a US official and Iranian state television.

Images broadcast early Saturday by state television showed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Italian capital, where US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was also set to participate in the talks. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the "two delegations are in two different rooms" at the Omani ambassador's residence, with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi passing messages between them.

The meeting comes a week after the two sides conducted what Iran called indirect talks in Muscat. Those were the first discussions at such a high level between the foes since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons — an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.